This invention relates to an apparatus for deploying and taking up an oil fence.
Oil fences have been recently put to practical use to collect and restore oil spilled on the sea and in harbors during the navigation of ships and upon failures thereof in order to minimize public nuisances resulting from the spilling of the oil. Conventional oil fences have comprised the shielding screen member, a plurality of reinforcing strips disposed in spaced parallel relationship on the screen member and widthwise thereof, one float secured to each of the reinforcing strips, one sinker attached to one end of each strip and a length of reinforcing rope extending throughout the length of the screen member to cross the reinforcing strips. Such a construction of oil fences has not only occupied a large space required to be housed during non-service because of the presence of the bulk floats but also lacked the rapidity in spreading the oil fences. This has resulted from the fact that there is no choice but to fold sinuously the fences for housing. In addition, it has been extremely difficult to spread and withdraw oil fences because of considerable lengths, thereof. It is very desirable to provide means for winding and unwinding oil fences into and from coils.